Heaven-Defying Hero - Chapter 107

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#107

“Wow! Amazing!”

Pansuk, who received the Flame Dagger from Ja-gang-cheon, exclaimed in amazement.

“Right? It’s been a while since I got something really interesting.”

“Is there a fire crystal inside it?”

The essence of fire, opposite to ice crystals, was called a fire crystal.

“It’s not a complete fire crystal, probably just a fragment. If it were a real fire crystal, I wouldn’t even be able to hold it like this.”

“Could you light a fire with that? Then we wouldn’t need to carry flint, right?”

“Huh? Should we try?”

Ja-gang-cheon brought fallen leaves and twigs from the rear garden.

Taking back the Flame Dagger, he experimented with the leaves, but they didn’t catch fire.

“Wait a moment.”

Ja-gang-cheon slowly channeled his internal energy into it. Then smoke began rising from the leaves.

Whoosh!

When the heat reached a certain level, it turned into flames and burned the leaves.

“Wow! It works!”

“Amazing! So cool! Let’s try again!”

There were people quietly watching their play.

“That person really is the one who disbanded the Death Curtain, right?”

At Han Dae-woong’s words, the new member, Cheon-gu nodded.

“Yes, that’s right. He also sealed the Hwangbo Clan. He’s called the foremost of the Seven Lords of Gangho.”

“I see.”

“Are you disappointed?”

“Not at all. I was just wondering if I should act like that to become stronger. Should I try to become a bit more childlike?”

Cheon-gu turned his gaze to look at Han Dae-woong.

In Han Dae-woong’s eyes as he looked at Ja-gang-cheon, there was strong admiration.

“That person is my idol.”

He muttered such words to himself. Then, as if by habit, he reached into the leather pouch at his waist.

His hand emerged from the pouch holding dandelion stems and shepherd’s purse.

“Ugh…”

The same sound came from those around him.

Han Dae-woong had started chewing the dandelions and shepherd’s purse raw. Just watching made their mouths feel bitter, but Han Dae-woong chewed the tough grass with a comfortable expression.

They had learned about his peculiar eating habits just one hour ago.

At the banquet for those who had returned to the manor, he ate only a little meat before stopping his meal.

-I only eat healthy meals.

That wasn’t all.

He filled his hungry stomach with raw medicinal herbs.

“I’m sorry. This fellow has only dreamed of revenge since childhood, so he became like this.”

When Mugyeong apologized on his behalf, Han Dae-woong tilted his head.

“What did I do wrong?”

A dandelion stem was sticking out of one side of his mouth.

“You didn’t do anything wrong. People are just interested because your eating habits are unique, so please eat comfortably.”

“Ah! You mean this?”

Han Dae-woong explained why he ate raw food.

“I like getting stronger. If there’s anything that can make me even a tiny bit stronger, I’ll do it. Ah! Please don’t misunderstand. My goal is to become stronger in a healthy and upright way. I don’t do bad things.”

“Now that you’ve come to our manor, you can take it a bit slower.”

“Ah! I do this because I like it. I started because of revenge at first, but now I like myself getting gradually stronger. That’s the most fun thing in the world for me.”

Those who heard this thought:

-Do I need to suffer like that to become stronger too?

These weren’t empty words.

Cheon-gu thought:

‘It’s okay. This level is normal in our manor.’

He judged that the new member would adapt well to the manor.

***

Bimugwishin had made a decision even before leaving the manor.

‘When I return, I should also dedicate my martial arts to Deungmyeongmun.’

Although he had spent several months together as an instructor, he couldn’t participate in Deungmyeongmun’s martial arts research.

This was probably because the formulas and techniques of advanced martial arts were openly revealed.

Nevertheless, he had participated a few times under the pretext of giving advice when researching basic martial arts.

‘If they conduct research like this, martial arts can’t help but develop.’

The martial arts research was exactly what made him decide to stay at Deungmyeong Manor.

“I will dedicate my martial arts and experience to Deungmyeongmun.”

He officially declared this, and Ja-gang-cheon welcomed it gladly. Naturally, Mugyeong and Han Dae-woong also became members of Deungmyeongmun.

With their joining, Deungmyeongmun felt like it had established a proper personnel system.

Mugyeong was the experienced adult who could provide stability, and Han Dae-woong was someone who could lead the young disciples.

Naturally, Jin Hyeon-pil was most pleased with their joining.

Just before Deungmyeongmun began operating under its new system, Ja-gang-cheon gathered all related people.

Now that there were many members, distinctions of affiliation emerged here too.

Manor members: Song Ja-in, Pansuk, Cheon-gu.

Deungmyeongmun members: Jin Hyeon-pil, Mugyeong, Han Dae-woong, Jin Hwajin.

Jangpung Pyohyeon Guild Leader Ak-pung-jin.

East Sea Merchant Guild Leader Jo Pilseong.

Including Ja-gang-cheon, a total of ten people gathered.

“Now we need to clarify the martial arts belonging to Deungmyeongmun. We’ll use Jinggeuk-ilinjeon’s martial arts as the foundation, but we can also incorporate Jomyo Sect’s training methods or martial arts.”

It was natural for Jinggeuk-ilinjeon’s martial arts to become the basic martial arts. The system was well-established from basics to advanced martial arts. However, the shallow depth of the advanced martial arts was disappointing.

But with this transformation into Deungmyeongmun, that weakness disappeared.

“First-generation disciples who have finished basic martial arts training will learn advanced martial arts as they wish. First, disciples talented with swords should be taught the Nameless Sword Technique and Flowing Shadow Sword Technique. And if they want spears, teach them the Ak Family Spear Technique.”

The Flowing Shadow Sword Technique was the sword technique Mugyeong used.

Everyone gathered there knew how powerful the three martial arts mentioned above were.

“For staff techniques, we’ll focus on the Deungmyeong True Evil Staff Technique, which we developed from the existing True Evil Staff Technique.”

The True Evil Staff Technique had already been revealed to the world, so it had no value as a sect’s exclusive martial art, but the research into the True Evil Staff Technique that began with Ja-gang-cheon’s father had definitely evolved into an advanced form at Deungmyeongmun.

To others, it would be unrecognizable that the True Evil Staff Technique was the foundation. The True Evil Staff Technique that Pansuk used had already reached a mature level.

“For blade techniques, we’ll use Jinggeuk-ilinjeon’s True Extreme Blade Technique. Its principles and formulas are excellent, so with research, it can become a martial art that won’t lose to any blade technique.”

The greatest treasure found in Jinggeuk-ilinjeon was the True Extreme Blade Technique.

The Northern Heaven Blade Technique that Ja-gang-cheon used could be problematic, so it couldn’t be made an exclusive martial art.

‘Once research on the True Extreme Blade Technique is complete, it won’t be inferior to the Northern Heaven Blade Technique.’

Though he didn’t say it aloud, the True Extreme Blade Technique was what Ja-gang-cheon admired most among Jinggeuk-ilinjeon’s martial arts.

It had survived for three hundred years without disappearing, which was certainly because it had that level of power.

Sword, blade, staff, spear.

When each martial art was gathered together, it was enough to make the listeners feel proud.

Though they didn’t have dozens of martial arts like the Nine Sects and One Alliance or the Five Great Clans that boasted history and tradition, they wouldn’t be inferior when it came to supreme martial arts alone.

“For movement techniques, I can’t abandon any of them. The principles are important, but the movement techniques used must also vary according to the martial arts learned. We’ll add Flying Squirrel Light Steps to Bicheon Shinbo, True Extreme Continuous Steps, and Flowing Shadow Steps.”

At those words, everyone looked at Song Ja-in. Flying Squirrel Light Steps was a movement technique unique to Dogok. As the name flying squirrel suggested, it was a fast and light movement technique, but Song Ja-in, who had intended to abandon poison martial arts, hadn’t revealed the formula.

“After consulting with the Lord, I decided to share all my martial arts. However, I won’t teach poison arts anymore.”

Since the process was inhumane and full of suffering, they decided to abandon only the poison arts.

“But I won’t discard those martial arts. Nine-Section Poison Arts will become Nine-Section Energy Arts.”

Nine-Section Energy Arts was added to Deungmyeongmun’s martial arts. Additionally, Dogok’s martial arts would become basic and intermediate martial arts.

“Finally, I’ll unify the internal cultivation method with the Taeheo Yangsim Formula .”

This was the part he had pondered the longest.

“It’s the foundational internal cultivation method of Deungmyeong Chejo, and it’s also the martial art I’m currently learning. While early growth is slow and requires patience, it’s pure and adaptable, so there’s no strain in using various types of martial arts.”

The internal cultivation method Ja-gang-cheon had learned was neither from the Wudang Sect nor from North Cheon City’s martial arts.

The characteristics of Wudang and North Cheon City’s internal cultivation methods were so distinct that once you learned one, you couldn’t learn the other.

When the dispute dragged on because of this, they eventually chose a middle-ground internal cultivation method.

It was a martial art from the now-extinct Sacheon-un-ga, and this internal cultivation method was discovered in the possession of the Sichuan Tang Family’s Lord.

Though the story behind it was unknown, the couple who discovered it created exercises that children could follow based on this internal cultivation method famous for its neutrality.

“Let’s keep the fist and leg techniques at intermediate level and continue researching them.”

With this, the organization of martial arts was completely finished.

Since most agreed with Ja-gang-cheon’s words, no objections arose.

“Now it’s time to decide on Deungmyeong Sect’s operational method. You’ve all thought about what Cheon-gu said last time, right? What do you think?”

The pros and cons were clear, making it a deeply troubling issue. Then, the Merchant Guild Leader who had been listening stepped forward.

“There’s something I must tell you in advance. If we spread Deungmyeong Chejo nationwide, we must set clear goals. If it’s misunderstood as ideological propagation, the Imperial Palace might intervene.”

He was talking about civil unrest.

“If we make the exercises public to everyone but limit the number of official sect members by accepting only elites, there shouldn’t be a problem. However, in this case, we’d have to give up the adult sect member admission we originally planned.”

Adults suddenly joining the same group in large numbers was the phenomenon the Imperial Palace hated most.

“If we only give up that, there won’t be problems?”

“Yes. They won’t take issue with the rest.”

Ja-gang-cheon nodded and asked everyone.

“This is the situation. Please share your opinions.”

Various opinions came out, but most conclusions were similar.

“Spreading Deungmyeong Chejo will be the best means to care for commoners’ health. And we can gain that much fame.”

“If we gather talented children from across the nation, Deungmyeong Sect’s future will be bright.”

Everyone spoke favorably, but one person didn’t.

“Won’t we suddenly have too many sect members? This means more people will know martial arts – can we manage them?”

It was Han Dae-woong. Not knowing Deungmyeong Manor’s research methods, it was a natural question for him.

“Having more people who know martial arts is good. More people will research, so the potential for development increases.”

“But enemies might analyze our martial arts too.”

At those words, Ja-gang-cheon tilted his head.

“Brother, you know all the martial arts Uncle Mugyeong uses.”

“That’s right.”

“But why can’t you beat him?”

“Well, that’s because I use the same martial arts…”

“Then would you have won if you used different martial arts?”

“Ah…”

Han Dae-woong realized he was mistaken about something.

“I think like this. If our martial arts are made public, someone might analyze them. If skills are similar, that could become a weakness. But if someone wants to analyze martial arts I’ve practiced for 20 years, how many years would it take them?”

“It would take at least several years.”

“Right. During that time, I’ll advance that much further ahead. What’s important here is that person will remain stuck in that place. And when we meet again, we won’t have similar skills anymore. The gap will have widened enough that I can win even if analyzed.”

Many martial arts masters say this.

-Silently walk your own path.

But there weren’t many people who could execute this. However, Ja-gang-cheon was naturally practicing it.

“I hope we don’t discard big advantages because we worry about small weaknesses. It’s a problem that will be solved anyway if we keep developing.”

“I was narrow-minded. I’ll deeply engrave and remember your words, Lord.”

“Let’s research together and have fun. That’s enough.”

“I’ll do my best to have fun.”

“That’s exactly it.”

Their conversation eliminated the last concerns of the people gathered there.

“I’m in favor of Deungmyeong Sect’s expansion.”

Starting with Song Ja-in, everyone expressed the same opinion.

“Good. Then let’s prepare well during the remaining autumn and winter, and spread Deungmyeong Sect’s name nationwide next spring.”

Deungmyeong Sect ended its long deliberation and began taking earnest steps as a sect.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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